Sutures are frequently used with a needle driver in surgical procedures to close an incision in an artery, such as an aorototomy as part of heart surgery. Different suture types and patterns may be used. Examples include purse string sutures, mattress sutures, running sutures, and others known in the art.
In an aorototomy, for example, mattress or running sutures are commonly used to close the incision. As one example, a mattress suture may be employed to pull the opening together, then running sutures used to seal it. Alternatively, a double running suture may be used as a precaution in order to minimize the risk of suture breakage and leakage from the incision site. To finish the suturing, the two free ends of each suture are often tied together in a knot, in order to secure the suture in place.
The suturing process can be tedious and time consuming. Consequently, an apparatus and/or method that is both accurate and time-efficient would be beneficial. The present invention relates to a surgical instrument and method for applying and tying running and mattress sutures to close an incision in an artery, such as an aorototomy during heart valve surgery.